Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Children of the Mist by Hywela Lyn

Children of the Mist by Hywela LynPublisher: The Wild Rose PressGenre: Action/Adventure, Contemporary, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Suspense/MysteryLength: Full (247 pages)Heat: SweetBook: Best BookReviewed by Orchid

Two minds united against a common foe. Two hearts afraid to show their love:

Long ago Tamarith fell in love with a man she can never have, and is convinced she will never love another. However, she cannot help but be intrigued by a handsome stranger whose psychic powers exceed even her own.

Vidarh seeks only to find his true purpose in life and to win the regard of his father, who eschews his son’s psychic abilities. Thrown together by a common threat to their planet, then torn apart by an evil greater than any they could have imagined, can Vidarh save the lovely Nifl woman who has captivated him, before it is too late?

Will Tamarith and Vidarh overcome the deadly enemy who threatens to destroy all they know and love? Will they find the happiness they both seek? Or are they fated to live their lives alone?

A viral plague decimates the people of Earth Colony Niflheim. First their telepathic powers disappear cutting them off from the rest of the planet, then death takes them from their loved ones.

The elders call representatives from all the settlements to gather at Gladsheim. Their aim is to send a telepathic message to the stars to the only person who can help.

Vidarh arrives at Gladsheim as the representative from Sleipnir. The manner in which he arrives startles the people of Gladsheim, especially Tamarith. Vidarh takes an instant liking to Tamarith but realizes she is far above him in ability and station. He knows he has no chance to win her affection when he finds out Tamarith is in love with someone else.

In the depths of space Jess Tarron receives the telepathic message from Niflheim. She and Dahl head for Niflheim in their ship Quest. Due to past help received from the Nifls they are only too pleased to offer their assistance. Samples of the disease are collected for them to take offplanet to the Phidians in the hope a cure for the virus can be found.

Everything goes to plan until Jess and Dahl try to leave the planet. They are forced to return to Gladsheim where the Nifls have discovered sinister undertones to the sickness. Strangers on Niflheim are causing death and destruction to the telepaths way of life. The technology and knowledge of Jess and Dahl combined with the telepathic and kinetic ability of Vidahr and Tamarith are needed to save the planet. But is there enough time?

This book is wonderful! There are few books that hold my interest to the point where I can't bear to put it down, but Children of the Mist is most certainly at the top of this list. The attraction between Tamarith and Vidarh is beautifully written. The involvement of telepathy would appear to make it easier for them to share their feelings, but this isn't the case. If anything telepathy makes it harder as they hide their minds from one another. This puts their lives in danger more than once.

Jess and Dahl are not the main characters of this book, but they are not really minor characters either. Their story complements and intertwines with that of Tamarith and Vidarh providing a perfect balance between technology and mind power.

From the beginning I thought I knew what was going to happen but Ms Lyn cleverly develops the story so that I was never quite sure I'd got it right. This kept my interest at its peak to the spectacular, but totally unexpected finale.

Well done Hywela Lyn. I haven't read the first book in this series, but you can be sure I'm going to buy it as soon as I can. This is the type of book I love to read.

Orchid - Thank you SO much! I've only just seen this and I was absolutely stunned by your kind words. You've not only made my day - I think you've made my year!Thank you again, and I'm so glad you enjoyed this story!

Lyn: What a great review. That rating is only something I'd dream of getting on any of my stories. As you know I've read Starquest and I fully intend to spring for Children of the Mist too. Keep up the good work. Larry

RATING EXPLANATION:

1 Star— At this time, we at LASR do not post these reviews. If the book was boring, badly edited, poorly written, had little or no plot, stilted dialogue, and/or unsympathetic characters, we will decline the review.

2 Stars— Not wonderful, but tolerable. There may be some minor editing glitches but not enough to stop you reading. Not a wall-banger, but nothing you'd re-read. This is a book you would borrow from the library - not buy - and never check out again.

3 Stars— Good. Mostly enjoyable. You made it through and didn't consider it a waste of time or money. The story was strong enough or the conflict tight enough, so even when the book faltered, it was able to draw you back in and keep you. There's a chance you'll recommend it to a friend, but it wouldn't go on your keeper shelf.

4 Stars— Very Good. You're glad you were the one who got to review the book. You would probably buy it and would definitely recommend it to your friends. You liked the characters and the plot. The writing style was good and the editing clean.

5 Stars— Great! You would definitely buy this book. You would definitely recommend it to your friends. You really loved the characters and the plot and would consider looking for this authors back list or making her an autobuy. The writing and editing were superb.

LASR Best Book - For a book or story that is truly exceptional. You think about it when you're not reading it. You wonder what happens to the characters when you finish. You would absolutely buy everything else this author had to offer. The highest praise - and reserved for only a few.

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